PRSA is proud to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs through Oct. 15. On behalf of the PRSA Hispanic-Latino Affinity Group, we present the 2025 Hispanic Heritage Month Toolkit, designed to help communications professionals celebrate with authenticity, respect, and impact.
Growing up, education was the foundation of everything in my family. My mother emigrated from Ecuador and became a Spanish teacher; my father left small business ownership to follow his passion as a preschool teacher. They believed education was the gateway to a better life, even earning degrees while raising three children. That commitment to growth has guided my communications career and fuels my passion for helping diverse communities feel seen and empowered.
At its heart, communications is about connection – helping people see themselves in stories, showing their value in the larger narrative, and giving them tools to move forward with hope and confidence. Nowhere is this lens more important than with the United States’ Hispanic-Latino community – one I’m proud to be part of and whose contributions are not only cultural but profoundly economic.
A global economic force hiding in plain sight
According to the 2025 U.S. Latino GDP Report from UCLA and Cal Lutheran, the U.S. Latino Gross Domestic Product reached $4.1 trillion in 2023, making it the world’s fifth-largest economy — larger than the U.K., India, or France. Latino purchasing power totals $2.7 trillion, and Latino-owned businesses grew 44% between 2018 and 2023. Yet despite these undeniable numbers, stories about Hispanic-Latino communities too often appear only during Hispanic Heritage Month or focus on challenges rather than contributions.
For communicators, this is a missed opportunity to honor reality, inspire unity and shape a stronger future.
Communicating through headwinds
Today’s climate can be challenging — immigration debates and cultural polarization weigh on Hispanic and Latino communities. Reports from organizations like UnidosUS and the American Immigration Council highlight persistent pressures. But thoughtful communications can serve as a counterweight. By amplifying authentic stories of resilience, entrepreneurship, and leadership, we offer hope and cohesion when external forces push toward division.
5 ways to tell stories that truly matter
- Pair data with humanity – Numbers like $4.1 trillion are powerful, but connection comes from human stories: the small business owner opening her third bakery, the health care worker on the front lines, the student whose scholarship fuels tomorrow’s innovations.
- Keep culture at the center – Culture isn’t decoration; it’s the glue holding communities together. Showcase diversity within Latino identity – Afro-Latino, Indigenous, LGBTQ+, and multigenerational perspectives – and resist stereotypes.
- Engage local voices and partners – Collaborate with Hispanic chambers of commerce, local nonprofits, and Employee Resource Groups to co-create campaigns with authentic community insight.
- Acknowledge challenges without dwelling on them – Build trust by recognizing hardship but framing stories around resilience and progress.
- Make Heritage Month a launchpad, not a deadline – Use Hispanic Heritage Month to spark year-round engagement – from supplier diversity to philanthropic commitments and ongoing storytelling.
Our responsibility as communicators
The stories we tell shape perception, influence policy, and inspire pride. Latino workers now account for nearly 59% of U.S. labor force growth since 2010 and contribute over $309 billion in taxes annually. Beyond economics, Latino culture fuels America’s music, cuisine, art, and innovation. This is not a side story – it is the American story.
Join us in the PRSA Hispanic-Latino Affinity Group — a space where voices are valued, contributions recognized, and community thrives. Log in to PRSA Connect, select “All Communities,” and choose the Hispanic-Latino Affinity Group.
Community is our greatest resource, today and always. Join us. // La comunidad es nuestro mayor recurso, hoy y siempre. Únete a nosotros.
Justine Mrsich, M.S., APR, has led global communications for Fortune 500 companies for nearly 15 years and currently serves as co-chair of the PRSA Hispanic-Latino Affinity Group.
Photo credit: Alessandro Biascioli
